by Mark A. Puente | 202-296-2296 | mpuente@arl.org | on April 2, 2018
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is accepting applications for the 2018–2020 cohort of the
Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce (IRDW), a program designed to recruit master of library and information science (MLIS) students from historically underrepresented ethnic and racial minority groups into careers in research libraries and archives. Benefits of the IRDW include:
- A stipend of up to $10,000 over two years in support of MLIS education
- Leadership and career development training
- A site visit to an ARL member library
- Financial support for skills development
- A formal mentorship program
The IRDW is funded by
ARL member libraries. This program reflects the commitment of ARL members to create a diverse workforce that will better reflect the changing demographics of higher education and society and will advance the Association’s goals of creating more inclusive, equitable, and just organizations.
Program Goal and Objectives
The ARL Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce seeks to:
- Attract MLIS students from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to careers in research libraries and archives
- Strengthen participants’ leadership and job-searching skills via the ARL Annual Leadership Symposium held during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting
- Develop a network of peers and mentors who will guide and nurture the career development of the participants
Applicant Criteria
Successful applicants will meet the following criteria:
- Identify as being from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, based on the categories outlined by the US Census Bureau or Statistics Canada or Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) people classifications
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the US, Canada, or Puerto Rico
- Be accepted into an ALA-accredited MLIS program
- Have a strong interest in pursuing a career in a research library or archive, especially one that is a member of the Association of Research Libraries
To Apply
All applicants are required to submit the following materials by 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on Monday, May 14, 2018:
- Online application form
- Résumé
- Essay (400 words maximum) describing what attracts you to a career in a research library or archive
- Unofficial undergraduate school transcripts, including your last academic semester completed
- Unofficial graduate school transcripts, including your last academic semester completed OR official letter of acceptance into a graduate-level program in library and information science
- Two letters of recommendation (See application requirements for details.)
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of
125 research libraries in the US and Canada. ARL’s mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, facilitating the emergence of new roles for research libraries, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations. ARL is on the web at
ARL.org.
